Getting back into "shape" after kids...

[fiona00004]

I am trying to find a way to become more active...I have a 2n5 and 4n5 year old, work full time and I have difficulty fnding the motivation to spend my time going to the gym to get into shape.

I am considering using Zumba tapes at home...has anyone tried that? Does it even work...? Or will I end up just giving it up? I guess it depends on how determined I am....I just thought that maybe I could even watch the videos with the kids and get them moving as well....which sounds fun in theory...

I somehow fell upon the Maria Kang "What's your excuse ads"...looked up her FB page and felt a bit crummy...I have no excuse. I just prefer to spend time with my family, cooking healthy meals instead of fast takeout and when kids are sleeping, I prefer to veg out in front of the TV. I just feel like life is so much "go, go, go" all the time, you know?

I say this many times at home...for all the "running around" that I do for grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning up after the kids, and stuff like that, it's a pity that I can't get into shape in the process!!

 

[junebug17]

FI Z, the zumba dvds sound like a great idea. I've never done Zumba on a regular basis but I'm familiar with it and it seems like fun as well as good exercise. I've been doing a 30 minute series of exercise videos for about 6 months and it has helped me a lot. I figure I can spare 30 minutes a day, and even though some of the exercises are still hard for me and there are days I have to force myself to do it, I'm at the point where I feel badly if I don't. It does take some commitment - there were days I was on the verge of giving up but dh encouraged me to keep going. Following the dvds makes me honest - I cheat if I try to exercise on my own. I have lost weight and I feel stronger. I have tried for 10 years to lose 10 pounds (no kidding)and I couldn't do it it until I started this program. Prior to that I walked on the treadmill but I guess it wasn't enough. Zumba sounds like a good choice because I think the music and dancing will be entertaining for your LOs. And exercising at home is more convenient and less time consuming than going to a gym. I say give it a try!

don't mean to threadjack, but I've been thinking about you - just wanted to ask real quick how your interview went the other day.

 

[fiona00004]

FI Z, the zumba dvds sound like a great idea. I've never done Zumba on a regular basis but I'm familiar with it and it seems like fun as well as good exercise. I've been doing a 30 minute series of exercise videos for about 6 months and it has helped me a lot. I figure I can spare 30 minutes a day, and even though some of the exercises are still hard for me and there are days I have to force myself to do it, I'm at the point where I feel badly if I don't. It does take some commitment - there were days I was on the verge of giving up but dh encouraged me to keep going. Following the dvds makes me honest - I cheat if I try to exercise on my own. I have lost weight and I feel stronger. I have tried for 10 years to lose 10 pounds (no kidding)and I couldn't do it it until I started this program. Prior to that I walked on the treadmill but I guess it wasn't enough. Zumba sounds like a good choice because I think the music and dancing will be entertaining for your LOs. And exercising at home is more convenient and less time consuming than going to a gym. I say give it a try!

don't mean to threadjack, but I've been thinking about you - just wanted to ask real quick how your interview went the other day.

You are so sweet Junebug! thanks for your feedback about the exercise...Since my kids, I do have a good 12 lbs that I would like to lose, but I do not know how realistic that is...

As for my interview...it was a really tough experience and I have pretty much gotten over it. The first couple of days afterwards I was sensitive, cranky and tearful at time. I really really wanted the job and honestly thought I had a shot since THEY were the ones who wanted to see me regardless on not having worked with children before. Anyhow, their questions were very specific and only people having worked with children would know the answers. Like they wanted to know for a child with a specific diagnosis at a specific age, which assessment tool would I use? I went about most questions by explaining what I would research, why and how I would prioritize my ojectives, but they didn't want that. They would literally just cut me off and ask "no, give me THE answer"

At the end, feeling frustrated and trying to stay patient and not show it, I asked them what got them interested in interviewing me even after having seen the content of my resume...they said "maybe there was work with children that you didn't mention in your resume".... I thought that was a bit unreal and crazy that they thought that.

They said that they were looking for someone with a "general idea" of how to work with children but hontesly the questions they asked were not to test general knowledge...

All this to say I didn't get the job but I did end up getting my second choice job...so I have accepted that!! I start in a week!!

 

[momhappy]

I've never had luck with at-home fitness routines, with the exception of my treadmill (that I use religiously when I can't get to the gym). I've purchased a number of fitness videos over the years and have never stuck with any of them.
I had my kids in my early 30's and they are all about a year and a half apart. I work part-time and I've never had much of an issue staying in shape. I worked out before, during, and very shortly after each pregnancy. My motivation was/is simply wanting to be fit/slim, so I have always made time.
You could certainly try an at-home fitness routine, but I'd start out with a single video and see if you've got the motivation to continue it long term. If that doesn't seem to hold your interest, perhaps joining a gym might be a motivation? Many people will use a gym membership simply because they are paying for it. Having said that, there are also plenty of folks who join a gym and never use it, so I wouldn't recommend getting locked into a long term membership commitment either.

 

[urseberry]

They say that any exercise is good, as long as it gets you consistently moving and working hard. Personally, I love the convenience of exercising at home, and having someone on a video telling me what to do. Other people prefer the gym. Try it out! Zumba sounds like fun, though I've never done it myself.

 

[Circe]

Re: Getting back into "shape" after kids...

Elliptical machine at home. I hate being in close proximity to others when I work out, so ixnay on the hym-gay, and though I like the *idea*!of running ... honestly, it bores me to tears. Rollerblading is awesome, but you need decent weather for it ... so, the elliptical wins. It's boring, but I can blast my headphones without worrying about being oblivious to traffic or people, and I don't lose any additional time getting to where I need to be (always an issue for parents). Good luck ... I just had my second three weeks ago, so I'm right there with you starting the journey!

 

[junebug17]

FI Z, so sorry about that interview, I think it was terribly unfair to call you in for an interview knowing your background and experience and then proceed to ask you very specific questions…good for you for calling them on it. I'm glad you didn't let it bother you for too long. And the heck with them, because you got a new job anyway! Congratulations!

I hope my post wasn't too discouraging re the exercise I think it's great that you want to exercise and I hope it works out for you!

Circe, very exciting news, congratulations on the birth of your second child!

 

[monarch64]

Mine will be 3 in a few months, and it has definitely been a struggle to find time to actually work out. Of course we are active and take walks together, plus I work/volunteer/am involved in several community organizations, but when it comes to me carving out 30 minutes a day just to exercise...yeah, right. I am not a gym person--would way rather be outdoors no matter the weather. Last year, I purchased a couple DVD's to use at home and those got me through January, February, and part of March. Jillian Michaels' 30 Day Shred and Yoga Inferno (or something, but that sounds right) were great for 20 minute workouts every day during naptimes while I was still staying at home with my daughter. They worked for me, not necessarily in a weight loss sense, but definitely in terms of fitness and feeling like I could make it through winter here in the Midwest.

I've found I really have to be conscious of what I eat, all the time. Like, no tasting my child's food or eating something she didn't care for so it doesn't go to waste. I struggled with that for a bit, but quickly figured out where my extra calories were coming from and just stopped doing those things. Another thing that helped me was keeping a set of weights in our bedroom. At the end of the day while I was getting myself organized for the next day, I would do an arm workout (just chose a random 10-minute one from Pinterest or Youtube). Mornings I would do crunches, jumping jacks, more crunches, push-ups, and squats. Just 10 minutes here and there helped me get back into reasonable shape and while I am still working on those last few vanity pounds, I am happy again with my dress size.

Anytime I need to make changes, I go at it in "bites." 10 years ago, I stopped eating meat, but I told myself I'd try it for a week and see how it went. Obviously it stuck. Whenever I've started a new way of eating or exercise regime, I've told myself "try it for a week" and I've stuck with it whether I see immediate results or not. It's really a mental thing for me. Don't know if that works for everyone, but thought I'd share my perspective with you here. Good luck! I know it's very hard to tear yourself away from family to work on yourself. It feels like you're missing out. I think I combated that by having my "me" time while my daughter was sleeping.

Circe, congrats on your newest bundle of wonderful!

 

[TooPatient]

Oh --

And come on over to the "Weight loss" thread. It is more than just weight loss. There are people trying to be more fit or maintain weight or just get overall healthier.

The more people participating, the more support, and the more likely we'll all be to keep going!

 

[baby monster]

I tried Zumba tapes at home. Got them at the library to test out before buying. Boring. RL classes are much better.

I work out at the gym at work during lunch hour and then eat at my desk. Can't do anything at home because DS is all over me as soon as I'm home. I do spin, interval training and treadmill. Weights really helped to tone up after pregnancy. I also have a fitbit to track how much I'm moving and it does help motivate me to take more steps.

 

[lknvrb4]

Exercise is a priority for me so I make the time, I get up at 4:30 and am either on my bike trainer by a little after 5 or at my local YMCA. I workout before my kids even wake up so that my workout schedule does not interfere with my family time.

 

[missy]

Fi Z, I am sorry you went through that interview experience but very glad you are starting a new job and I hope it turns out to be even better than this other job! (((Hugs))).

As for working out it depends on your personal style. I loathe gyms so have all my exercise equipment at home and that way I maximize my workout time cutting out commuting etc. It just depends on how motivated you are. If you have the self discipline almost anything you choose at home will be potentially a winner.

My favorite exercise is the Cybex Arc Trainer and I do that at home everyday and I don't care for exercise videos. But that's me. A friend of mine loves her Zumba classes and wouldn't' trade it for anything else. But she goes out to do that and finds the company of others motivating. It's OK if you need that because we are all different. There are personalities that do best with company while working out and the enthusiasm of others while there are people (like me) who prefer working out alone or just with my dh. My dh OTOH incorporates exercise videos into his home workout routine and also belongs to a rock climbing gym so he does a number of activities and that works for him.

The key is finding something you know you will do (almost) every day and just keep doing it. Some people like variety and some can do the same thing over and over. As long as you are doing something. An exercise video is inexpensive enough to try and see what you think. And as for your two little ones it does make it more challenging. I agree with those who said working out first thing early AM is what makes it work for them. When I was working more I started my workout routine at 5AM so I could exercise before my workday started and I felt good the whole day having done it that way. I still workout in the AM but not as early. For me, it feels good having completed my workout before the day starts.

Good luck and I know you can do it! Also, if you lapse a bit don't give up. Just get right back to it. It's OK. You go girl!